Peninsula Cellars

Peninsula Cellars is one of the steady, long-established stops on Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City, Michigan, and its identity is tied as much to farming as to wine. The Kroupa family has worked this land for more than a century, first as fruit growers and then, beginning with vineyard plantings in 1991, as winegrowers. Dave and Joan Kroupa founded the winery, and the first Peninsula Cellars vintage arrived in 1994. Today owner and general manager John Kroupa, a Michigan State University horticulture graduate, carries that sixth-generation farming story forward, with winemaker Mike Altesleben overseeing the wines and hard cider.

The range is broad in a way that makes sense for this corner of Northern Michigan: cool-climate whites like Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Dry Riesling, Semidry Riesling, and Late Harvest Riesling; reds including Pinot Noir Reserve, Cabernet Franc Reserve, Merlot Reserve, Blaufrankisch Reserve, and a Cabernet Franc/Merlot blend; plus cherry and apple wines tied back to the family orchards. There is also a hard cider program with bottles and cans that lean local and playful, including a single-varietal Kingston Black and a cherry-habanero cider called Evil Ways.

For visitors, Peninsula Cellars keeps things straightforward. The tasting room pours $18 wine flights, also serves wine and cider by the glass, and has light snacks available. Large groups need to plan ahead, private tastings are available by request, and the grounds are pet friendly even though pets stay out of the tasting room and patio. It is a practical, easy stop for travelers who want a winery that feels genuinely tied to Old Mission rather than built to imitate somewhere else.